Jon

“No Whītī taku Papa, no Maniapoto taku Mama. Ko Jon Mahuika-Jeet taku ingoa.” “I’m a Maori Fijian-Indian guy who was brought up in Invercargill, in a place that was predominantly European. From a young age I was constantly thinking about my identity because I looked so different from everyone else. I was not European, I […]

Patricia

“Since I was about six they put me in dresses. I just didn’t want to get out of them, that’s all. Yes my cousins dressed me up and I enjoyed it. It’s interesting when you look back in life because as I say I’m 80 now. I’ve been in and out over the years. Sydney; […]

Antoinette

“I live in Westmorland, but I was telling my childhood story about growing up in Addington. My Nana lived around the corner; in those old days, that’s what happened. My dad built the house after the war. We’d walk every day to have lunch with Nana. I’m one of eight – I’m number four. When […]

Justice

“I grew up singing, songs being sung to me or with me. I guess coming from a kapa haka background, that was all I lived and breathed. What makes waiata and song so important for me is because it connects me back to my family and my whakapapa, but also helps me to connect to […]

Przemek

“It’s a consistency in my life, going to the mountains and exploring. I grew up in the Carpathian Mountains and one of the most spectacular national parks in Poland – Tatra National Park – is not far so I could go just for a day trip. I loved just going for long walks in those […]

Taylor

“After the earthquakes, I was a bit of a menace as a teenager. I wasn’t as self-aware as I am now about what exactly I was struggling with but I just knew that I was really, really sensitive to what was going on around me. I used to go to Travis Wetland when I felt […]

Colin and James

“I probably spend a couple of hours a day building. My favourite lego part is the two by four brick – I’ve always had a fascination for two by four bricks. One day, I was just randomly building with them and I came up with the idea of a series of characters and that’s the […]

Kerryn

“I’m a lawyer. Who’s just been made a QC (Queen’s Counsel). Startlingly! How do I explain what the QC ceremony was? It’s an accolade for court lawyers to recognize excellence at the bar. So it’s lovely and startling. I’m the only woman QC practicing in Christchurch which is outrageous. When I graduated from law school, […]

Kevin

“I came to Christchurch from the UK 18 years ago. I work as a mental health support worker. I was originally an audiologist which is why I came to New Zealand. I sold real estate very briefly, I was a teacher, I’ve done a lot of things. My background is in health care and I […]

Dylan

“Music’s like one of my big passions. I joined Burnside High because of the specialist music program…. It’s a jazz program specifically. I didn’t really know what jazz was; I knew it was some like, ancient genre from the olden days. I judged it. I’m a rock drummer but I thought eh! I’ll just do […]